Premier League top-four fixture: Remaining matches, key clashes and expected finals for Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Manchester United

The battle for a place in the Premier League's top four this season appears to be coming to an end once again.

Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and manchester united They are all fighting for a place, assuming their title rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City don't suffer a major collapse.

What makes it even more interesting is that we still don't know if England will get five places for the Champions League next year, instead of four.

So the only thing these four teams can do is accumulate as many points as possible and hope that they are enough at the end of the season to play with the European elite.

Here, talkSPORT.com takes an in-depth look at the race for champions league soccer.

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Aston Villa – 4th

The Villans have enjoyed an incredible campaign, but signs are emerging that fatigue is starting to hit the team heading into the latter part of the season.

Unai EmeryThe men began the year with eight straight home wins and after a win over Arsenal By early December, they were well into the title race.

Since then they have slipped a bit and drew 3-3 at home to Brentford just days after losing 4-1 to Man City.

At a crucial point in their campaign, a humiliating 4-0 defeat by Spurs last month gave the Londoners the initiative.

Villa are also in the midst of a grueling Europa Conference League campaign, with Tottenham benefiting from some extra rest.

However, a second victory over Arsenal has changed their Champions League outlook.

If we analyze the remaining games, Villa still has to play Liverpool for their last game at Villa Park this season.

If they can beat the Reds, they would all but secure a spot in the top four.

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Expected finish: 4th

Tottenham – 5th

Tottenham, low Ange Postecoglou In his first season as a Premier League manager, they have been a breath of fresh air.

They have scored 65 goals so far in their first campaign without their talisman Harry Kane; only five teams have scored more.

Spurs have played freely all season, while James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have proven to be excellent signings.

Inconsistency has cost them at times this year, with good results followed by bad ones, leaving their top four hopes hanging in the balance.

They have one game in hand against Villa, which will be vital, but they still have to face Premier League title rivals Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Once again, it is likely to be these matches that decide their fate, although Villa have the advantage after Spurs were thrashed 4-0 by Newcastle.

Expected finish: 5th

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Newcastle United – 6th

Out of nowhere, Newcastle suddenly have a chance to finish in the Champions League places.

The Magpies have endured a difficult season, with injuries decimating Eddie Howe's squad and depriving the Toon boss of options on the field.

Key players such as Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Joelinton, Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson have missed much of the campaign with long-term problems, while Sandro Tonali has been suspended for his involvement in illegal betting activity.

The fact that Newcastle even have a chance of playing European football next season is quite incredible, but after picking up ten points since the international break, a place in UEFA's top competition is within reach.

On paper, the Magpies have a good matchup with a trip to Old Trafford and a home draw against Brighton in the toughest remaining games.

But Newcastle scores so many goals and can cause problems for any team, plus they play twice before Tottenham face Arsenal.

However, the top four will likely elude them this year despite their excellent late-season form.

Expected finish: 6th

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Manchester United – 7th

After finishing third last year in Erik ten HagDuring his first season as Man United manager, the future looked bright for the Red Devils.

However, it has largely been a campaign to forget for United.

They were knocked out of the Champions League, finished last in their group and have never been in contention for the title, while a top four is still quite unlikely.

A humiliating collapse in a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea was followed by a spirited 2-2 comeback against Liverpool, but the two teams above them still lost ground when they could only manage a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth. .

So despite having a slightly easier race going forward than their opponents on paper, the gap is too big to close for the top four.

Expected finish: 7th

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